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Day 16 - Paris takes a bow

2024-08-12 HKT 05:38
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  • Tens of thousands of athletes and spectators gather at the Stade de France for the Olympic closing ceremony. Photo: Reuters
    Tens of thousands of athletes and spectators gather at the Stade de France for the Olympic closing ceremony. Photo: Reuters
  • Li Wenwen won her second Olympic gold medal with a dominant performance to take the title in the women's over 81kg weightlifting at the Paris Games on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
    Li Wenwen won her second Olympic gold medal with a dominant performance to take the title in the women's over 81kg weightlifting at the Paris Games on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
  • America's Jennifer Valente won the gold medal in the women's omnium to conclude Olympic racing on Sunday as the SAR's Ceci Lee finished 20th in the event. Photo: Reuters
    America's Jennifer Valente won the gold medal in the women's omnium to conclude Olympic racing on Sunday as the SAR's Ceci Lee finished 20th in the event. Photo: Reuters
  • Sifan Hassan won the women's marathon, taking gold in an Olympic record time for her third distance medal of the Games. Photo: Reuters
    Sifan Hassan won the women's marathon, taking gold in an Olympic record time for her third distance medal of the Games. Photo: Reuters
  • Napheesa Collier of United States in action against Valeriane Ayayi and Gabby Williams of France. Photo: Reuters
    Napheesa Collier of United States in action against Valeriane Ayayi and Gabby Williams of France. Photo: Reuters
Kelly Yu and Hailey Yip report from Paris
A dazzling festival of sport in Paris officially ended on Day 16 as the 2024 Olympics concluded with a spectacular closing ceremony. The baton has been passed to Los Angeles, which hosts the Games in 2028.

The US edged out France in the last event of the day in women's basketball to claim their 40th gold medal in Paris. China also won a 40th gold in women's weightlifting, but the Americans end the Games ahead of the national team due to the fact they won 44 silvers compared with China's 27. Japan finished third while hosts France were fifth. Still, China's 40 golds is its second highest ever after the Beijing Olympics of 2008.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong China's Ceci Lee was bidding for a medal in the women's omnium, but it wasn't to be. The SAR finished 37th in the table with two gold and two bronze medals.

Here are some of the highlights on the last day of the Olympic Games in Paris.


Thanks for the golden memories

Paris closed out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a boisterous, star-studded show in France’s national stadium, handing over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028.


Li lifts China to more gold

Weightlifter Li Wenwen won China's 40th gold at the Paris Olympics, finishing first in the women’s +81kg category on Day 16 of the Games.

Li lifted a combined 309kg at the South Paris Arena, 10kg more than South Korea’s Park Hye-jeong in second place and 21kg more than American Emily Campbell, who took bronze.


Ceci Lee concludes Paris campaign

Jennifer Valente of the United States retained her Olympic title in the women’s omnium as the SAR's Ceci Lee finished 20th in the event.

That concluded Hong Kong, China's participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Valente ended with 144 points in the multi-race event, consisting of the scratch, tempo, elimination and points races.


Third time's a charm for Hassan

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands won the women's marathon, taking gold and achieving an astonishing triple by medalling in all three distance running events at the Games.

Hassan prevailed in the Olympic marathon in a thrilling sprint finish.

She traded elbows with Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia with 150 metres left, then passed her along the railing to win the race in an Olympic record time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, 55 seconds.

She also won bronze in the 5,000m and 10,000m.


US survive close shave

The United States held off France 67-66 to win an unprecedented eighth successive women's Olympic basketball gold on Sunday and extend their run of victories at the tournament to 61 games.

A'ja Wilson scored a game-high 21 points for the Americans who won the title for the 10th time overall, surviving a buzzer-beating shot from France's Gabby Williams.

The hosts needed a three to force overtime but Williams' foot was on three-point line as she let go off the ball, so her shot counted for just two points in a dramatic finale.

Day 16 - Paris takes a bow